Greetings good Samaritans!!!

I’m Elmer Hufana and I’m posting this GoFundMe on behalf of my sister Eliza. She is turning 59 years old in October, and was a retired registered nurse specialized in giving care for acute cardiac patients. She used to be with the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) in one of Toronto’s hospitals for more than 30 years. She retired in 2021, but continued to practice her nursing profession as a part timer to make ends meet.

She may have some small assets, but prolonged and inability to continue work due to her vegetative conditions, no longer allowed her to earn income for herself to pay hospital bills and other medical expenses not covered by OHIP.

Her medical conditions are somewhat critical, but stable. She has been confined for almost a year in a Continuing Complex Care due to her chronic medical conditions. Her GCS (Glasgow Coma Scale) had improved from a scale of 4 last year to 9 this year.

Right part of her body was paralyzed post surgery, and the better part doesn’t show any movement as well. Except slight movement of her left hand.

Her prolonged bedridden conditions and effect of her brain surgery made her head and jaws stiffed and unmovable. Doctor’s primaries focus right now is to loosen her stiffed neck that has been permanently tilted and frozen at 30 degrees to the right since her 2024 surgery. With the introduction of Botox treatment and succeeding theraphy, a Physiatrist was able to partially loosen her neck to 17 degrees. Their goals are free up head rotation from left to right, and loosen her trismus (lockjaw) to treat her twisted and injured tongue.

Medications and doctor’s fee for these treatments are very costly and coming out of patients pocket. Not covered by OHIP.

My goal is to raised funds in the amount of $30,000 to pay off her medical treatments, and the Co-Pay required by the CCC facility where she is confined right now.

Her predicaments were as follows:

- She was diagnosed with Meningioma tumor in 2018 and the tumor continuously increased in mass size resulting in mass effects (headache, nausea and vomiting, hearing loss, gait imbalance, loss of appetite, and tongue deformation that greatly affected her speech).

- She was admitted for a two-day elective debulking surgery last May 22 to 23 in 2024. Unfortunately, (postoperative) succeeding surgical operation complications arised and she was re-admitted to OR on the same day for emergency hematoma evacuation and decompressive craniectomy.

- While on a vegetative state on May 31, 2024, she was again re-admitted to OR for invasive surgery procedures due to CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) leaks that caused brain infections. Her brain washed out of CSF and insertion of lumbar drain on her spinal column to evacuate CSF.

- On June 2, 2024, her MRI resulted to a persistent CS fluid collections in her left temporal hematoma cavity, frontal craniotomy and suboccipital craniotomy. Fluid collections persists and subsequently required multiple surgical washouts again of her brain from July 2, 12, and 22 of 2024, plus prolonged antibiotics and re-insertion of lumbar drain.

- On Aug. 4, 2024, a new intraparenchymal hematoma, hemorrage, and hydrocephalus led to insertion of EVD (External Ventricular Drain) to drain these unwanted fluids from her brain that again caused infections. Lumbar drain was less effective since application. Antibiotics were administered until September 26, 2024.

- On October 9, 2024, she was transferred to CCC (Continuing Complex Care) with baseline right sided hemiplegia (paralysis), trach (neck breathing) and G-tube (Gastrostomy tube) for feeding.

My sister’s pains and sufferings didn’t stop there. Complications were on and off that led her multiple transfers from Chronic to Acute facilities, and vice versa due to successive complications.

Transfers to acute care

1. Oct 12-21, 2024, with aspiration pneumonia and treated with 7-day course piptazo. Received 1 unit RBC with Hb 60.

2. Nov 6-14, 2024, with aspiration pneumonia treated with another course of piptazo

3. Recent admission Nov 16-26, 2024, for E faecalis bacteremia. Treated with piptazo stepped down to ampicillin (Nov 17-Dec 1, 2024). PICC line in situ.

Active issues.

1 Another meningioma still exist on her lower left skull. Second surgery may not be possible due to her present medical condition.

2 Left eye keratitis.

3 Chronic anemia.

4 Elevated liver enzymes. On Keppra. US July 2024 showing mild hepatic steatosis.

5 Pressure injuries to R ear and coccyx.

Past Medical History:

- Abnormal weight loss due to dysphagia. Led to altered taste

 - 2006 - Breast cancer: treated with bilateral mastectomy;

- Bruise - has a bruise in right inguinal area due to a recent fall

- Dizziness

- GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease)

- Hypertension

- Hypotension

 - Lip numbness

- 2018 : Meningioma

 PMHx: "complex petroclival meningioma on the left side.

- 2024: MRI of brain abnormal

 Significant increase in size of the suspected meningioma centred within the left cerebellar pontine angle with new mass effect against the supratentorial hydrocephalus and crowding of the foramen magnum by the inferiorly displaced cerebellar tonsils. Tumor infiltration of the left transverse sinus, sigmoid sinus, jugular bulb and the imaged left IJV. Tumor infiltration of the central skull base.

Thyroid nodule surgically removed

Uterine cancer

2013 - Surgically removed.

Your donations will greatly help my sister on her recovery. Thank you in advance for your understanding and support for my sister Eliza.

 

 

- [ ]